In the early 1800s, game was plentiful in England and Scotland, and hunting was both a sport and a practical way of obtaining food. Golden retrievers came into prominence because of the desire for a medium-sized dog that would do well in wild-fowling, both upland game and waterfowl.
Development of the Golden Retriever is found in records from 1850 to 1890 at the Guisachan estate of Dudley Marjoribanks, the first Lord Tweedmouth. The estate although sadly just a ruin today is near Inverness in Scotland.
History of the Breed